


A Wedding Fail, But a Win For Dean and Cas

by glowinggreeneyes



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Best Friends, Best Man Dean, Drunk Castiel, Drunk Dean, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Hugs, Jealous Dean, M/M, but that's not the destiel bit, never trust a writer, this is good destiel trust me i wrote it, tumblr import
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-28
Updated: 2016-05-28
Packaged: 2018-07-10 18:35:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6999820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glowinggreeneyes/pseuds/glowinggreeneyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was a sham, a show, a façade. The whole thing. Hidden behind the faked smiles and dead, forged eyes on every single person in the white room that was as big as the church they’d all been in earlier that day - every one knew it all too painfully well. </p>
<p>Cas is in an arranged marriage he seemingly can't get out of. His best friend is there beside him all the way, through his struggles, through the heartache of Cas marrying with someone other than him. </p>
<p>So Dean fights back, gets drunk, and ruins the whole thing. Well...not for him and Cas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Wedding Fail, But a Win For Dean and Cas

It was a sham, a show, a façade. The whole thing. Hidden behind the faked smiles and dead, forged eyes on every single person in the white room that was as big as the church they’d all been in earlier that day - every one knew it all too painfully well. That didn’t stop them from beaming on, shaking hands, or exchanging embraces where appropriate. Just a pretence of the truth for business.

Cas shivered every time that thought ran through him. The fact that he’d married not for love, for passion and commitment, but for the family business deal that followed this ceremony between his father and Michael Milton’s. Pressured and pushed, he’d become quickly engaged.

Michael was the eye-candy gentleman that got down on one knee a few months back at his own ball. Hosted by the Milton’s, it was grand and perfect. When he asked Castiel, what could Cas do but say yes?

That night, Cas had brought along a friend. They seemed happy to talk to each other and stuck together tight. Everything between them was fine, until said friend walked away for five minutes. How he regrets that now; leaving that opportunity for Michael to get in there, in front of everybody, and propose…it was his biggest regret.

That night, said ‘friend’, had to watch from afar, mouth wide open, heart pounding for something to stop this, as Castiel James Novak, lifelong best friend, accepted a Milton’s hand in marriage.

A month before the marriage, Castiel asked the friend to be his best man.

Enter Dean Winchester - aforementioned best friend.

It’s gone down well, Dean appeared to be happy, Cas was in melancholy, and they carried on as usual. Well, not quite. Dean was still a little…off. Cas put it down to nerves. Losing his best friend. Knowing that the marriage was nothing but a business exchange. A joining of enterprises.

Skip forward to behind the scenes of the church. Cas was looking himself over in the mirror, feeling more dead inside than ever. And over the last months he’d been feeling more empty than the vacuum of space. When he needed Dean most, he was further away than he’d ever been.

“Do I look okay?” Cas coughed after realising his voice was low and wrecked with being on the verge of tears for the past hour.

Dean, who had just come in the door, looked over Castiel and breathed in. For one, Cas looked better than ‘okay’. Cas was from head to toe beautiful, damn gorgeous in every sense, every feature, every curve and scar and stupid piercing he’d got when he and Dean were drunk that one time. Cas was breathtaking, the way the suit hugged him in the right places and still perfect to Dean in the places where it looked like it was going to cut off the blood supply.

But Dean didn’t say anything more. He just dejectedly smiled on and nodded, eyes full of sorrow and upset with a mask of congratulation for his friend.

“You look,” Dean took in a sharp breath, trying to pry his eyes away from the designer suit Cas wore, back into his friends eyes, “you look awesome, Cas. Knock ‘em dead out there.”

“Dean,” Cas softly said, and Dean regretted even agreeing to this, or looking into his piercing blue eyes, “Dean, can we drop this act now?”

“Act? W-What do, I-I-”

“We’re alone. Just us, okay?” The distance between them shortened, like two magnets coming together (albeit slower). “We can say things now. Like how much I want to jump into your Impala and run away right now.”

“Yeah, like the fact that you hate the Milton’s and don’t want to ever go near Michael again. Or the fact that all you’ve ever done for your family has never bettered you, Cas, it’s just made you a tool.”

Cas rolled his eyes.

“What?! You know it’s true, Cas. Don’t roll your eyes and pretend everything’s okay?! It’s really not.” Dean didn’t mean to raise his voice but by now he may as voice his opinion. Cas knew this all to be true too, and he didn’t want to keep pretending but he had to.

“I can’t do anything about it, Dean. Too late.”

After another loving gaze, Dean stepped closer and reached out for Cas’ hand, holding the clammy palm loosely with his own. “It’s not,” he whispered.

“Castiel! You’re needed!” Someone banged on the door.

The two sighed, staring wide eyed at the other. This was it. The moment they couldn’t go back on.

“Promise me one thing, Dean, one thing?” Dean bowed his head slightly. “Promise me you’ll never leave me. No matter what. Okay?”

No matter what? No matter the abuse, the money, the lies and blood, the tears. No matter what the distance, the debt, the bars between them, the barrier and the _everything_. For Cas, he’d do anything. He gulped. “I promise.”

Cas squeezed Dean’s hand before letting it go and wrapping his arms around Dean’s shoulder and neck, bringing him in to a tight hug. He clutched to Dean’s jacket like he never wanted to let go and sobbed into the musky neck, pressing their bodies close. It took Dean a moment, but he slipped his hands around Cas’ waist and patted his back.

They clung to each other for ages. It felt like years, minds equally racing and searching for an escape. Clung together like they’d die if they let go, like this was the last string of hope and friendship and when they let go of each other the wire would snap and fade.

“Castiel!”

They jumped apart, teary eyed and light headed.

“Come on, let’s get this over with,” Dean murmured, slightly turning to go. He’d wipe his eyes when Cas couldn’t see.

The corridor to where Cas would say vows that meant nothing seemed to go on forever. The longest 10 seconds of his life dragged on, Dean beside him with a stern look didn’t cheer him up but he was all too depressed to care or try to make this lighthearted.

~

“If anyone who has any reason why these two shall not be joined in holy matrimony speak now or forever hold your tongue.” The priests voice was dull, like the ceremony, and Cas wanted to strangle him for all the rambling on and on; but then he thought of the sea of religious people sitting to his right so he decided against it. For now.

As the priest said this, the whole room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Then he could hear Dean shuffle behind him, the scuff of his shoes on the floor awkward but a humble reminder to Cas that Dean was still there - and there for him.

Unfortunately, no one had any reason other than the two so obviously didn’t love each other and this was all for money. So the play went on, each of the characters going through with this like a script.

But nothing goes without even a minor hitch…

~

Dean needed to get blackout drunk. But he felt like throwing up anyway, this wouldn’t help. None of it would.

The setting is as in the first paragraphs - the reception. Everyone had eaten the small proportioned and highly expensive food that all pretended to like, and Dean was on his third champagne. Yeah, apparently he liked the stuff now.

As Dean walked back to his table where Cas was a few seats down, he spotted a microphone from where Cas’ father had spoken a few words earlier. Aha! Dean intoxicated mind thought he would have a stand in the spotlight tonight.

He picked it up from the stand and stood at the end of the table, tapping his glass loudly to get the attention of every pair of eyes.

It did.

“Hey folks!” Dean shouted, causing the microphone to let out a high pitched screech and most people put hands over their ears. At first Dean cringed. He may be drunk and angry and every fucking dark emotion under the sun, but he couldn’t help chuckle at the sight. “Sorry about that,” he wobble on the spot for a moment before finding his feet.

“Dean? What are you doing?” he heard Cas ask him, his eyes glowing with embarrassment and growing fear.

“Relax Cas. Jus’ gonna make a speech, ‘right?” When Dean looked out to the field of high-end business men and woman, he couldn’t help but feel like he was a kink in the works, an enigma of the evening. It’d all gone so smoothly before but it was too late to go back. And he didn’t care anymore.

“So, you may or may not know me - I certainly have no idea who any of you are apart from Cas’ brothers. You don’t even matter to me either!” He could feel Cas scowl at him, but he continued. “You’re all fucking idiots for allowing this to happen, if I’m being honest here (and I may as well be). Allowing Castiel - sweet, kind, thoughtful and the most intelligent Castiel - to marry this _fuckwit_!? To fuck him, to take him out!” His hand found its way to point at Michael, who was in utter shock.

“Dean, calm down, get some water,” Cas pleaded, starting to stand up.

“I’m fine Cas,” he felt like throwing up but he continued. “I’m absolutely fine with this happening and so are all you! You don’t deserve Cas in your lives, none of you do. He’s the most selfless and fuck-” he stole the bridesmaids champagne and downed it all quickly. “Where was I? Oh yea, Cas is fuckin’ beautiful man I ever known, you know, or I ever will do…know…I think… Anyway, I can’t imagine my life without the guy!

“I want to take this opportunity to say how cowardly and selfish you all are and you should all go to Hell. Cas here is a literal Angel that has saved my ass more times than the cents in your banks after you guys join together. And-”

Dean glanced down to Cas, had a small smirk on his lips, but Cas was still mortified.

“If you think that forcing Cas into this horrible horrible horrible relationship is okay, please rethink your fuckin’ life choices, beliefs, morals, everything!”

There were certain mumblings in the room at this point, it was a surprise to Dean that he hadn’t been taken away by now, but everyone was too frozen to do anything about it. So he continued. It’s not like he had much else to say at this point.

“Like I said, we’re being honest here, and brutally honest. I’m going to confess something to you all!” Dean took a deep breath in. “I’m in love with the groom!”

Dean’s smile slowly weakened as he heard the gasps from all around the room. The tension had just gone from weird to the most awkward imaginable. People shuffled in their seats, chairs scraped and Dean was climbing up onto the table, walking across it to Cas’ spot.

He also realised that he hadn’t looked at Cas in a while but saved that for later along with the true embarrassment he’d face.

“Have been since, well, let’s see…” He paused, looking out at everyone again. “I knew from the moment we woke in the morning after getting drunk together for the first time. We were side by side in bed, at first thinking we’d thrown it all away with drunken sex - turns out Cas had new bumblebee earrings in and I had a tattoo of Castiel’s name on my shoulder in calligraphy. Why we were only in boxer briefs I will never know,” he chuckled to himself, warm and low. Still no one said anything. He kept walking sideways to Cas’ seat, avoiding glass after glass. “We briefly argued that we should undo this mess but were laughing too much behind pillows being flung lazily at each other to say anything else.

“We settled down, still tired. As his dopey smile set on his face, his messy hair draped across his face and we breathed in that dusty room in the morning air, I knew I was in love.”

At that moment, he turned on the spot to face Cas behind him. He could see the shimmering of tears in his friends eyes, the look of heartbreak and relief just flooded him.

Dean clambered down, almost falling over once he’d got down, and quickly kissed Cas’ forehead. As he faced the crowd, standing tall and proud, he stuck his middle finger up at them. “So screw y'all and Merry Christmas or somethin’…”

~

This was a mistake, Dean thought to himself as he threw up outside the plaza.

He’d stumbled out after his dramatic speech, feeling his heart wrench behind his rib cage. Should he have felt guilty? He didn’t know anymore.

“Dean?” the sudden gruff call of his name from a familiar voice echoed in the night air. “Dean?! Where are yo-” rapid steps getting closer followed until Dean felt a hand in his back. “You son of a bitch.”

Dean stood up from leaning over the railings and shuffled around to see Cas. Quickly, he wiped his lips with a tissue and shyly grinned, eyes hooded.

“Look, Cas, sorry for ruining your stupid wedding.”

“Don’t sober up on me, Dean, I need someone to get drunk with,” Cas deadpanned. “Seriously. Let’s find a liquor store and go back to yours.”

“Have you had anythin’ t’ drink tonight?”

“No. Unlike you.” Cas looked over his friend one more time. “Much unlike you it seems. But that’ll change soon.”

Dean lazily blinked a few times before wiping his eyes. “Got some stuff back at home if you want to save a trip.”

“Let’s go.” Cas grabbed Dean by his shoulder and began pulling him towards where Dean had parked the Impala.

“What about your husband?”

“What husband, Dean?” Cas smirked.

~

Dean had hesitantly handed over his keys to his Baby and apartment, but trusted Cas still even in the state of confusion and dreariness. At the apartment, he didn’t feel any better, the two of them just sat on the bed, reminiscing over old times and drinking down more Jack Daniels.

It was around the time the sun rose that they fell asleep on the bed together, tangled in bottles and limbs and sheets.

It was not how Cas envisioned his wedding night to be like, then again he wouldn’t have it any other way.

~

The first thing Dean processed when he woke was how warm and comfortable he was. There was something pressed up behind him, an arm slung around his waist and a leg tucked between his.

The second this was the empty bottle of Jack in front of his face. He figured it was a rough night. From the headache he felt, it figured it was harder than rough.

But then the third was the memories. Dean could get pieces of information of what he’s done from pictures and words and…a speech. Fuck. And then Cas - oh god. Then they… That explained the Jack.

Dean swivelled slowly around in someone’s arms before coming face to face with Castiel.

He let out a little whine when he saw the sex hair and full, slightly chapped lips. Cas looked beautiful like this, a little tired, but beautiful nonetheless. Then, Dean figured he should probably do something about this.

In theory, he’d ruined two large, multi-million dollar companies, two large and hugely powerful families and their competitive relationship, he’d ruined business, cost them both a hell of a lot of money, Cas’ already shit relationship with his family, his own job prospects for working at the companies ever, and probably lost the respect from the man he loved…all with a bottle of champagne.

“Cas?” With a hand against his chest, Dean shook Castiel a bit. Then a bit more vigorously. “Cas?”

Cas stirred with a cute little yawn and tossed just the slightest before his eyes blinked firmly open. “What…what happened?” Then he acknowledged the distance between him and Dean in a sobering moment. “Oh god, we didn’t, did we?”

It took Dean a moment to process but then he shook his head. “No, no, we just god drunk and talked until the sun came up. What a wedding night, huh?”

Cas furrowed his brow for a moment, letting the previous day come back to mind. “Oh…fuck. Fuck!”

“I am so sorry, Cas,” Dean hushed, putting a hand on Cas’ shoulder to stop him from getting up. “I ruined everything.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean said the truth in my little speech,” Dean explained. “And your families are going to kill me. And you for inviting me, let alone being friends…if we still are.”

“Of course we’re still friends.” Damn Cas and his soft, sensual voice. “What made you think differently?”

Dean looked down and then slumped on his back, one hand strewn across his forehead. He couldn’t deal with this, not at this time in the morning. “Don’t make me say it again. It’s embarrassing enough that you know…”

“The fact that you announced your love for me in front of everyone is extremely romantic, Dean.”

“Yeah, romantic only if you felt the same. Which you don’t,” Dean said matter-of-factly, refusing to look at Cas in the eye as he felt a heat crawl up his neck.

“Why not?”

Dean suddenly felt a small huff breath tickle his lips. He dared to open his eyelids up at where he knew Cas was hovering over his body, and was met with blue eyes inches from him. “Because that would be…” He caught Cas’ gaze flickering to his lips. This was not happening, surely Cas didn’t…but there they were, leaning in. “…Impossible,” he breathed.

Just as his vision went black, the brush of foreign lips on his own, he quickly pushed a now rather disgruntled and confused Castiel backwards, “Wait! Wait, Cas!”

“What?” Cas squinted at him, his face unreadable.

“Morning breath,” Dean said pointedly, shifting to sit up like Cas was. “We are not kissing when I’ve been living off alcohol for 24 hours and haven’t brushed my teeth!”

To this, Cas let out an honest to god giggle, biting his lip and looking down. “You make a valid point. I thought I’d done something wrong.”

Now it was Dean’s turn to laugh. “Come on, let’s have some coffee or something and brush our teeth.”

“There’s a proposal I’m more than happy about.”


End file.
